Spirited Away
by changed currents
Summary: The wars are over. Nothing could possibly shatter Percy's peace now. Except when Annabeth kills his stepfather for a ritual to bring back Luke, Percy breaks. He kills his own girlfriend and flees to where no one can find him. But he comes back, bloody, beaten, and demanding to die. Not even another chance at life sways him. What will happen to the Hero of Olympus now? DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

**Percy POV: Third Person**

 **Somewhere along the coastline of rural New Jersey**

Percy was running.

He wasn't sure of how long he'd been punning, but he knew that he was punning.

He wanted to get as far away from New York as he could.

As far away from the site of betrayal as he could.

But he was exhausted. He had been running almost nonstop for days. He was almost out of food and water, and desperately needed a place to lie down and sleep.

Percy collapsed in a heap in a sheltered cave near the coastline, slumping against the wall in exhaustion.

His mind decided it was good time to go all _let's revisit the horrible times_ on him.

And he found himself falling into the flashback.

 **Flashback**

 _Percy was feeling elated. The wars were over, and he was on his way to visit his parents with his girlfriend, Annabeth Chase. Holding hands in the warm late September afternoon._

 _They reached Percy's apartment, pausing for a moment to exchange a kiss. Then Percy raised a fist and knocked on the door, rapping it three times._

 _The door immediately swung open, and Sally Jackson stood in the threshold. She had lost weight, her eyes were sunken, and there were bags under her eyes._

 _But, upon seeing her son and his girlfriend, her entire face seemed to glow again, and her eyes seemed to regain their lost light._

 _"Percy!" She flung her arms around her son. "Paul! Percy and Annabeth are back!" she cried, moving to hug the latter._

 _Annabeth gratefully hugged her "foster mother", accepting the glass of lemonade Paul had come hurrying with._

 _"Come in! Have a seat!" Sally beckoned them in._

 _They did, and Annabeth began to recall their adventures, Percy chiming in at some of the romantic parts._

 _When they were finished, none of them expected Annabeth to take out her new knife, acquired from the Camp Half-Blood weapons shed, and stab Paul straight through the abdomen._

 _Sally screamed._

 _Percy turned to Annabeth and wrenched the knife from her hands. "Why?!"_

 _Annabeth sneered. "You are so foolish, Percy, to actually think I loved you. I never will love you, after what you did to Luke."_

 _"After all these years," snarled Percy. "You helped Gaea, I presume?"_

 _"No," Annabeth replied. "I'm not that stupid. I just needed to finish the ritual."_

 _"What ritual?" growled Percy, Riptide leveled at the daughter of Athena's throat in a flash._

 _Annabeth froze, wisely not moving or speaking. Then Percy dug the sharp tip into her throat, drawing blood. "What ritual, daughter of Athena?"_

 _"Isn't it obvious?" Annabeth snarled back. "The ritual to bring Luke back so we may live together again."_

 _"You can't bring him back, Annabeth" Percy shot at her. "I would've brought back Zoe, Bianca, Silena, Beckendorf, and Luke already if we could."_

 _Annabeth shook her head, blonde princess curls flying. "No, Percy. You're too dumb to know. You see, I just need a body. A body for him to inhabit."_

 _"Not Paul," Percy bellowed. "Never!"_

 _"Too late. The time we spent talking, you could've healed Paul. But now he's gone," Annabeth cackled._

 _Sally fell across her dead husband's body, sobbing. Blood stained Paul's lower torso, and dripped onto the carpet. His chest wasn't moving._

 _Paul Blofis was dead._

 _Annabeth took her drakon bone sword and drew a mark across Percy's forearm, Percy too stunned to strike her away._

 _"Remember me by that," Annabeth snarled._

 _Percy's eyes glowed an angry green, and he began to glow in a blue-green aura. Furiously, he disarmed Annabeth, took her sword, and plunged it hilt deep into her chest, straight into her heart._

 _Annabeth gasped and clutched Percy's arm. "N-no!"_

 _"I'm sorry, Annabeth. But I can't let you kill Paul and get away with it. I have to take a life in return," Percy said sadly._

 _"N-no, Percy. P-p-please. L-luke loves m-m-me," pleaded Annabeth, reaching for him as he turned away._

 _"Was I not good enough for you?" bellowed Percy, spinning on her. "Why did you have to tear apart my world again? Interrupt the fragile peace? What is wrong with you? Why do you only see to your benefit?"_

 _His voice seemed to falter. "Why can't you accept that he's gone?"_

 _Annabeth clung weakly to him, her blood staining the sofa. "P-percy, please. B-b-bring Luke b-back for me."_

 _"Why should I?" hissed Percy. "You two can be together. In the Fields of Punishment, of course, right, Hades?"_

 _Thunder rumbled in confirmation._

 _Annabeth sobbed. "Percy, please."_

 _Percy shook his head, the green eyes she had loved so much losing their carefree light. "No. I am done with you, Annabeth Chase."_

 _Annabeth's final breath left her lungs, her eyes emptying of both hope and life as she died, her own drakon-bone sword still plunged between her breasts._

 **End Flashback**

Percy's head dropped into his lap, sobs racking his body as he sat, alone and broken once again.

Paul had been dead for three weeks now. He was given a beautiful marble tomb but a simple traditional black coffin, buried in a brand new suit and his wound cleaned. Paul'd been given his favorite book, _To Kill a Mockingbird,_ to hold as he was placed in the box. He looked like a sleeping Armani model as Sally closed the casket, sobbing the entire time.

Annabeth had been burned under a dull grey shroud, the owls adorning it crossed over by Omega symbols, from the Greek alphabet.

The sign of disowning.

The goddess of wisdom had even summoned Annabeth's spirit from the Underworld and chewed her out on killing an innocent soul for her own benefit and hurting Percy more than necessary.

She'd given the spirit a tattoo on her hand, an owl crossed with an omega like on her shroud, disowned her, and stripped her titles.

Then Athena had told her to never go anywhere or do anything the legacies of Athena did.

Taking away Annabeth's-now only- joy, architecture, was the final straw.

Annabeth had begged and pleaded with her mother and got nothing but a firm shake of her head and a final farewell from the goddess, who was extremely disappointed in Annabeth, and even felt pity to the AWOL son of Poseidon.

Percy had run away the night after Paul's funeral, disappearing from the entire New York State in less than eight hours.

When the first distress call had come from camp to Sally Jackson's place, he was long gone.

Now there he was, sobbing his heart out on the floor of an abandoned sea cave that slowly filled with water at the oncoming high tide. Percy welcomed it with open arms.

He was done with handing out his loyalty like it was free money: he'd been hurt too many times.

Now he sat up, eyes hollow yet full of steely determination.

The Percy Jackson who handed out his fatal flaw like flyers for a promotion was no more.

The _new_ Percy Jackson was the one who never trusted someone unless they earned it.

He was never going through another heartbreak again.

Slowly he sat up and packed his scattered heart back into its place in his chest.

Then he ate his last, slightly stale piece of bread and drank some water, standing up as he screwed the cap back on.

He was going to make amends.

Even if it meant dying.

But what did Percy Jackson have to fear of death?

Nothing.

 **Empire State Building**

 **Four Days Later**

Percy strode up to the front desk. "600th floor, please."

The man looked up from his book, which happened to be _The Expert's Guide to Greek Mythology._ "No such thing, kid. Get lost."

Percy looked down at himself for a moment. His shirt was ragged, his shorts threadbare. His shoes were beat up and dirty, and his backpack looked like he tossed it into a muddy sinkhole.

Not really recognizable, but at least he still had Riptide.

He took the pen from his pocket and held it up. "You don't want this uncapped, do you?"

The man glanced at the pen and his eyes widened to the size of quarters. "Percy Jackson?"

The sea-green eyes that stared at him answered his own question.

The man quickly tossed the son of Poseidon the key card. "Make sure no one gets in with you."

Percy walked over to the elevators, ignoring the curious glances coming from all sides. Finally, he boarded an elevator no one seemed to want to get on, and slid the key card into the slot under the button panel. The board lit up and a new red button grew from the metal, marked with a black 600.

Percy pushed it and settled back against the wall, brooding over what he was about to do.

He had evaded death too many times already. Why not just die?

 _Staying Alive_ started piping over the speakers, and Percy listened to the tune as the elevator rocketed skyward.

 _Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk_

 _I'm a woman's man: no time to talk_

 _Music loud and women warm, I've been kicked around_

 _Since I was born_

 _And now it's all right, it's OK_

 _And you may look the other way_

 _We can try to understand_

 _The New York Times' effect on man_

 _Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother_

 _You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive_

 _Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin'_

 _And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive_

 _Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive_

 _Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive_

It was so ironic that the song was playing right when he was headed toward his death, Percy chuckled to himself.

Then he froze, remembering the time after the war, the Seven had gathered at Sally's apartment and sung the same song, over and over again, until Leo, who had brought back Calypso with him, leaned over and changed it to another song, which happened to be _Girl on Fire._

Leo had spent the rest of the afternoon apologizing to Paul Blofis, who was both awestruck and hysterical from Leo's fire-and-dance pair. Leo even built Paul a new sofa with tons of new gadgets, including a built-in refrigerator and padded, genuine leather recliner seats.

It had been ruined in the entire Annabeth incident.

Percy had run away before Leo could finish fixing it.

Now he would never see it in its clean, updated glory again.

Tears dripped from his cheeks as the elevator halted and the doors flew open. Wiping his tears away, he set off down the path towards the throne room of the gods.

Vending satyrs stopped yelling about their wares when they saw the hero and instead bowed respectfully, while nymphs giggled and blushed as he walked by, waving and blowing kisses.

Percy remained silent and whenever he looked up at someone, they recoiled at the emptiness in the eyes of the son of Poseidon, wondering where his easy, cheerful manner had gone.

Finally, he reached the palace and the doors immediately creaked open, letting the demigod into the chamber.

As usual, the two of the Big Three present were bickering with one another.

"MOTHER RHEA ALWAYS LOVED ME BEST!" Zeus yelled into Poseidon's face.

"ONLY BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T EATEN, YOU EGOISTICAL BRAT!" Poseidon screamed back.

Hermes and Apollo were sitting quietly together, whispering to each other and glancing around warily.

Athena, Demeter, and Artemis were rolling their eyes and commenting to each other on how their parent and brothers were stupid males.

Hera, sitting beside Zeus, was stroking a peacock and looking extremely bored.

Aphrodite and Ares were having a kissing session, having crept off their thrones and into a corner.

Dionysus was fast asleep.

Hephaestus was tinkering with a device that looked suspiciously like an enlarged electric flyswatter.

Finally, after waiting in the doorway for fifteen minutes, Athena noticed him.

"SILENCE!" she yelled, and the gods, taken by surprise, immediately shut up.

Athena gestured to the son of Poseidon. "I believe we have an audience."

Poseidon looked thoroughly confused, having forgotten about the argument with his brother. "Percy?"

The demigod bowed. "Hello, Father."

Poseidon leaned forward as his son straightened, perplexed by his formal, empty gesture. "Percy? What's wrong?"

Percy straightened, and just like all the others who looked into his eyes, Poseidon recoiled.

His eyes were hollow, empty orbs of sea-green, void of any emotion, yet swirling with so many. Even Poseidon couldn't count how many.

Pain. Sadness. Anger. Defeat. And the worst of them all, acceptance.

"Ask Athena. But before you do that..." Percy paused, then forged ahead. "...kill me."

The entire council gasped, and even Aphrodite and Ares took a pause from their session to look up with wide eyes.

"You want us to _what now?!_ " exclaimed Apollo in unison with Hermes, Athena, Zeus, Hera, and basically everyone else except Dionysus, who was still fast asleep.

"Kill me. Please." It was at that moment where Percy's voice finally broke. "I have nothing left. My parents are dead. Annabeth is a traitor and dead. Camp thinks I'm dead. Everyone I love is either dead or doesn't know where in Hades I am. Just kill me."

Zeus leaned forward. "Now what is this about the daughter of Athena being a traitor?"

Athena cleared her throat. "I can explain, Father."

The wisdom goddess proceeded to tell the entire story, and even conjured up a chair for Percy as tears traced paths down his grimy cheeks.

At the end of the tale, Poseidon looked ready to leap off his throne and storm his brother's realm, his eyes murderous.

"Please," begged the distraught son of Poseidon. "Please."

Zeus stroked his beard. "Give us a moment to consider."

"No." Percy's voice was suddenly firm. "If you won't do it, I'll do it myself."

To the gods' horror, Percy had Riptide out and pointed at his heart.

Poseidon's eyes widened. "Son!"

Percy's hand was shaking furiously. "Please."

"Now," a voice said from the entrance to the throne room. "Let's not go to see Hades just yet, Perseus Jackson."

The entire council seemed to freeze up. Zeus's hand froze up on the armrest of his throne, and Hera by his side seemed to hyperventilate.

"No way," whispered Poseidon.

"Well," the voice came again, definitely a man's. "let me introduce myself."

The man walked into the center of the thrones. In short, he looked like the Terminator, but with less muscle and more brain.

His eyes were the black holes of the universe.

"My name is Chaos," he said.

Zeus's grip tightened on his throne.

"Now, Percy Jackson," Chaos turned to the frozen demigod. "Put the sword down, and let's talk."

"No," Percy said quietly. "I said I'd do it myself."

And he plunged the sword into his chest.

* * *

 _ **I think that the cliffhanger was necessary.**_

 ** _Good day._**

 ** _-The Panda Named Panda_**


	2. Chapter 2

**Annabeth POV**

"Luke, I'm sorry," Annabeth pleaded. "Please. Look at me."

Luke turned his blonde head away from the daughter of Athena's spirit.

"Luke, please." Tears ran down Annabeth's cheeks. "I'm sorry."

"Killing Percy's stepdad to revive me?" Luke's voice rose. "He's already been through the mill, the war with Gaea is finally over, and then you go and kill his stepdad, basically murdering his mom too. You didn't even ask me if I wanted to live again!"

"Luke, he basically killed you!" Annabeth protested.

"He had too, Annabeth," snapped Luke. "And I thank him for it."

Annabeth felt like her heart was being ripped into tiny pieces. She'd done all of the killing, sacrificing, and praying for him, and he didn't want it, or appreciate it.

She was going to the Fields of Punishment for him, and he didn't care.

She'd been allowed final goodbyes to the world (aka her dead friends). None of them had wanted to see her after what she'd done.

Except Luke.

And now he hated her too.

"Goodbye, Annabeth," Luke stood from the blue couch. "I think you can show yourself out."

He disappeared down the hallway, Annabeth's eyes on his retreating back.

Tears trickled down her face in a steady stream as she closed the front door of Luke's quaint townhouse in Elysium, her security ghouls surrounding her once more.

Silena and Beckendorf, their cute cottage little ways down the street, had showed her out the moment she told them what she'd done.

Zoë Nightshade, whom she barely knew, was horrified at what Annabeth had did to Percy's tranquility, and slammed the door in her face.

Bianca di Angelo, also who she barely knew, had given her a murderous glare and Annabeth suddenly found herself back outside surrounded by security ghouls.

Everyone she'd gone to make amends with had been furious with her, and had either slammed the door in her face, or given her the reproachful look and escorted her out.

Now she was being shepherded to the Fields of Punishment for her stupid mistake.

She should've never thought that Luke would want to live again.

He'd been at peace when Kronos had been killed.

For the first time in her-well, death,-Annabeth felt shallow and stupid.

Annabeth felt a wave of remorse crash down on her, and felt glad that Percy had killed her.

So she steeled herself and did something she thought she would never do.

She turned on her heels and slowly trudged up the driveway of the house painted blue.

The afterlife of Sally and Paul Blofis.

Before Annabeth could turn back, she raised her hand and knocked on the door.

 _Knock, knock, knock._

Immediately, the spirit of Sally Blofis-Jackson opened the door, smiling and wearing an apron and an oven mitt.

Her smile fell off her face in a flash.

"Annabeth," she said, her words short and clipped. "What are you doing here?"

Annabeth gulped. "Well, I'm dead."

Sally's lips were pressed in a thin line. "If you're our neighbor, I will complain to the judges."

"I got Punishment," Annabeth said.

Sally's expression softened a few degrees, but she didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry," Annabeth apologized. "I never meant to kill Paul. I'm sorry."

Fresh tears cascaded down her cheeks as Sally stared at her, frozen.

"I was...blinded. By desire, by love, by revenge. I wasn't thinking. I acted foolishly, and stupidly. My own mother disowned me for my stupidity," Annabeth sobbed, holding her hand out for Sally to see. The owl crossed with the omega was there, shining in a vibrant gold on Annabeth's tanned hand.

"I'm sorry. I'm glad that Percy killed me, and I have many regrets," Annabeth continued. "But I would just like to make amends."

Sally unfroze and handed the distraught girl some tissues. "It's okay, honey. It's alright."

Annabeth wiped her eyes, which were red and puffy. "Thank you, Mrs. Blofis."

"Call me Sally, dear," Sally corrected her.

"I'll be going," Annabeth said. "I have to get to my eternal punishment."

"No," Sally said firmly. "Come on. Let's go to the judges again. This time, you're staying with me."

Annabeth protested, but Sally shed her cooking gear and grabbed a coat, locking Annabeth's left forearm in a vise-like grip.

"This time, you'll get Elysium," Sally stated as she pulled a complaining Annabeth out of the house. Security ghouls attempted to surround them, but Sally glared at them, and they backed off.

They were just out of the gates when they saw another spirit, arguing with a man that was built, looked, and dressed like the Terminator.

Sally and Annabeth stopped as one. " _Percy?!"_

 **Percy POV**

Percy's judgement had gone by very smoothly.

He'd been praised for his accomplishments and heroics, and had immediately been placed in Elysium.

One of the judges had even considered him skipping the next two lives to put him in the Isles of the Blest, but Percy refused.

So he'd been told to follow the path to Elysium and find the blue house.

Percy was minding his own business and just about to reach the gates when Chaos appeared in front of him.

Again.

"Percy Jackson," Chaos said.

"Chaos, leave me alone," Percy tried edging around the man, but seeing he was built like the Terminator, there was no avail.

"Just listen to my offer!" Chaos cried exasperatedly.

Percy shot the man a glare. "No, I told you. I want to live out my afterlife and make amends. I'm done with fighting battles for the Olympians, endless wars, quests, demigod life, all of it!"

" _Percy?!_ " The chorus of female voices interrupted the argument.

Percy turned, and his heart did a gymnastics routine, except it felt like Donkey Kong was slamming his fists into Percy's rib cage.

His mother and Annabeth were standing together, staring at him. Sally's hand was clenching part of Annabeth's camp T-shirt, and her expression was of utter horror.

Annabeth was looking as beautiful as always, except her blonde hair was now pale blonde in her spiritual "glow".

"You did _not_ die on me, Perseus Jackson!" his mother yelled, her eyes blazing.

Percy gulped. His mind was racing, and he felt like a balloon about to spontaneously combust. When did Sally and Annabeth get together? Why was Sally dragging his girlfriend back toward the judging pavilion?

"I...uh..." Percy stuttered nervously.

"No, no," Chaos lied smoothly. "Percy was just about to pay you a visit. For necessary disguise from the security ghouls and Cerberus, I made him a temporary spirit. He'll be solid again as soon as he leaves the Underworld."

As if on cue, three security ghouls dashed pass and into Elysium, yelling, "LIVING ON THE LOOSE! LIVING ON THE LOOSE! LOCK YOUR DOORS! DRAW YOUR SHUTTERS! LIVING ON THE LOOSE!"

Sally's expression softened. "Well, honey, we're a little busy at the moment, so please come back another time with your...friend. I need to take Miss Chase here to get re-judged."

"What'd she get?" Percy questioned, eyebrows drawing together.

"Fields of Punishment," Sally replied, tightening her hold on Annabeth's sleeve.

"Then why are you taking her to get re-judged?" Percy cried. "She deserves Punishment!"

"Honey, she apologized. That's not an easy thing to do, and she explained. I think she deserves a second chance," Sally attempted reasoned with her son.

"Paul didn't get a second chance," hissed Percy, and Sally flinched.

He was so furious, he didn't see Annabeth wipe her eyes on her sleeve. Why was Sally siding with Annabeth? She'd killed her husband, and Percy's stepdad! Murdering Percy's family was unacceptable. He wasn't going to let it pass.

Percy sprinted back down the path to Sally's cries for him to stop. He dashed pass a security ghoul and passed straight through a tree, finally skidding to a stop at the front of the pavilion.

"NICO! NICO DI ANGELO, GET YOUR BUTT OUT HERE!" he screamed, desperate.

Nico immediately popped into existence in front of him. "Percy?"

"AnnabethiscomingforascecondchancewithmymompleaseputherinPunishmentagain!" Percy said in a blur.

Somehow Nico understood Blur. "Okay...we'll see."

" _We'll see? She killed my stepdad!"_ Percy hollered.

Nico rubbed his hands together uncertainly. "See, the judges look upon the good deeds the person and weighs them against the bad deeds. If Annabeth is getting rejudged, did she do anything good in the past few hours?"

Percy's heart filled with dread. "She apologized to my mom."

Nico sighed and shrugged. "Sorry, man."

With that, the son of Hades disappeared. Again.

~~xx-00-xx~~

Percy was sitting on a bench when Chaos slid down next to him. "Well?"

"I'll hear your offer, Chaos," Percy mumbled, hands gripping his hair. His face was buried in his arms, and he was dressed in an oversized hoodie and baggy jeans, making him look like a homeless Boston teenager. But the catch was that he was dead. **A/N: Magnus Chase!**

"I want you to be part of my army," Chaos announced.

Percy jolted up, pulling his legs onto the seat and propping his head on his knees. His baggy hair fell over his eyes, but Percy made no attempt in brushing it off.

"What now?"

Chaos reiterated what he had just said.

"You will be a leader, one of the seven Keepers, who command a certain group, of the army," Chaos explained. "But that's all I can tell you. The rest will be told if you accept."

"I will live again?" Percy asked, and Chaos nodded.

"You will be immortal, and more powerful. You can avoid Earth, for my home is on a different planet," Chaos explained.

Percy turned his head so it was hanging between his knees.

"What?" demanded Chaos.

Percy curled his spiritual hand into a fist. "I want to see my friends."

"You're dead, Percy. They'll only come and see you if they aren't afraid of the risk, and many of your friends would gladly pass up a visit to the Underworld," Chaos said gently. "You probably won't be able to leave, anyway."

The hand remained in a fist.

Then Percy crossed his arms on his knees and propped his head again. "I don't know."

Chaos leaned back and crossed his arms behind his head. "I have all day."

They stayed like that, Percy staring off somewhere into the Underworld, Chaos contently leaning back and watching some unknown point in the distance.

"Fine," Percy finally said. "I'll be your Keeper."

Chaos turned to him, his black-hole eyes boring into Percy.

"Are you sure?" the primordial finally asked.

Percy nodded.

"Then let's get going," Chaos said.

He made some kind of slashing motion, and a glowing white rip appeared, right in the center of the Underworld.

"See you on the other side," Chaos said, and disappeared.

 _ **Well, that's chapter 2. Sorry if it's rushed at the end.**_

 _ **See ya next time.**_

 _ **-The Panda Named Panda**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Just a message:**

 **For those who thought forgiveness was stupid, don't worry! I have a plot twist up my sleeve.**

~~xx-00-xx~~

Annabeth stood before the judges again, her knees knocking together. Sweat poured down her back, and Annabeth couldn't help but wonder what fueled her sweat, seeing she didn't seem to be alive anymore.

Sally Jackson stood on her right, eyes twinkling with something Annabeth couldn't distinguish. Her back was straight, posture regal, and she looked like a queen, regardless of her casual clothing. She seemed to be the only light in the dreary pavilion.

"Sally Jackson." A judge stared down at the duo from behind his mask. "You have brought Annabeth Chase, a seemingly damned soul, back in front of us. What do you wish to do?"

"May I please know what her punishment is?" Sally asked pleasantly, as if they were discussing the matter over sandwiches and chips.

"Standing in a mixture of Phlegethon and Acheron for eternity," the judge replied.

Annabeth's eyes widened, and she let out a squeak.

"Well," Sally continued in the same pleasant tone. "Can you add the Styx to it?"

Annabeth gasped. Sally wasn't here to help her?

"And maybe a few damons to whip her as she screams," Sally finished, her eyes twinkling.

Annabeth recognized that twinkle now. It was the look Percy got whenever he met a monster, fierce and angry, yet full of victory. She felt like her knees were about to give out, so she would be a sobbing mess on the floor.

Sally Jackson was here to wreck her eternal afterlife.

The judge leaned forward. "Now, Ms. Jackson, why do you wish that?"

"She killed my husband," Sally seethed. "She ruined the thin tranquility we had after the Giant War with my son. She deserves more than just eternally boiling in mixed waters."

The judge turned to his fellows and they discussed something in a different, unknown language. It sounded like Hindi and Greek with a bit of Chinese thrown in.

"Granted, Sally Jackson," the first judge finally turned back to the two deceased. "Annabeth Chase will perish in a mix of Styx, Phlegethon, and Acheron eternally, with mixed physical beatings as well. Good day."

Annabeth's eyes welled up in tears as Sally smirked mirthfully at her. "Why? I thought you forgave me!"

Sally laughed, her blue eyes full of victory. "Darling, do you really think I would forgive you for a crime like that? You _deserve_ every moment of Punishment, every moment, until you give all the remorse you can. Maybe Percy will come see you!"

Annabeth's blood boiled in anger, but she could do nothing as the second judge clapped his hands, and shackles appeared on her wrists, stamped with the words _HIGH SECURITY PRISONER_ ** _,_** over and over, all around the Stygian iron bands.

Security ghouls clamped their ghostly claws over Annabeth's shoulders as she struggled to get her wrists into a comfortable position. They began to push the daughter of Athena out of the pavilion, oblivious to the shining tears of regret streaking down her cheeks.

Annabeth let out a wail. " _Nooo! Please! I'm sorry!"_

Sally strode over, leaning into Annabeth's face.

"Why didn't you think of your punishment before you killed Paul?" she crooned, her ghostly fingers going through the girl's translucent cheeks.

Annabeth screamed and cried, hysterically tugging at her chains. Even her spiritual fingers burned and smoked when she touched the metal. " _PLEASE!_ "

Sally Jackson turned away, finding a cruel glee awaiting her.

The ghouls began dragging Annabeth, who put up all sorts of resistance. She kicked and screamed and attempted to dig her fingers into the ground, but her attempts were in vain.

Annabeth's last glimpse of Sally Jackson was the woman turning back around to watch her, a triumphant smile stretching across her face.

~~xx-00-xx~~

Percy stared at the portal swirling in front of him.

 _So this is the final step,_ he thought bitterly. _Not accepting the offer. Being brave enough to say goodbye and take the jump._

 _A test of my courage._

Percy licked his lips nervously. He had said yes. He hadn't expected this.

He hadn't expected to have to voluntarily leave his world behind. He hadn't been prepared.

Even if he had nothing left, Percy Jackson still had a faint attachment to Earth. Earth was where he had spent his happiest moments, his best times.

But it was also where he'd experienced the worst things, the most horrible tortures known to man.

He was dead, for the sake of the gods! He couldn't go anywhere but the Underworld!

 _If you take Chaos's offer, you can see your friends alive,_ his internal voice cooed tantalizingly in his mind.

 _Chaos won't let me,_ he thought fiercely.

 _Says who?_ the voice soothed back. _He only said if you didn't want to._

Percy gritted his teeth just as a familiar call sounded behind him. "Percy!"

His mother was striding up the lane, glowing with happiness. "There you are!"

"Where's Annabeth?" he asked.

"Getting what she deserves," replied Sally nonchalantly.

Percy shrugged and reached out to hug his mom, forgetting that Chaos had lied to her about his death.

His fingers slipped straight through hers, without Sally fading a single bit.

Sally's eyes widened. "Percy...?"

"Oh, I need to find Chaos! He needs to lift the spirit disguise," Percy explained quickly, trying to hide his mistake.

Sally smiled at her son. "Okay, honey. I'll see you at the gates of Elysium in thirty minutes. We can part there."

"Yeah. Okay." Percy carefully watched until his mother disappeared around the crook in the dark brown dirt path, then turned back to the swirling soupy portal.

Without even knowing it, his mother had made his choice for him. He couldn't go back to Elysium and tell his mother he was dead. Percy couldn't do it to her. Her life had just been shattered by Annabeth, and knowing her son was dead, too, would destroy her to the brink of insanity with her grief, even if Sally Jackson's son and husband were still with her in spirit.

Percy couldn't stand by and watch his mother's spirit go insane.

But what would she do if she found out he was missing?

Would it shatter Sally Jackson anyways?

Percy had to take the risk and believe that his mother would stay strong for him.

Slowly, he took out a pen and a scrap of paper and wrote a message to his mother.

 _Dear Mom,_

 _Don't look for me. Don't follow me. I've gone to live a better life on a different planet. Truth is, I was dead. But then I was offered a chance to live again, to have a better life than any I have ever lived. To leave this godforsaken planet and choose my own paths, not ones designated by the Fates._

 _And I took the chance._

 _Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Please, forget about me and spend your eternal afterlife in peace. Forget about the entire incident with Annabeth Chase. Just be the happiest soul the Underworld will ever have._

 _I swear, on the River Styx, that I will come back someday._

 _Love, your son,  
Percy _

Percy held the folded note, praying that it would reach his mother.

As if to answer his prayers, the paper disappeared in a flash of red light.

It was done. Sent.

Now all he had to do was step through the portal.

Percy's breath hissed out through his teeth, and he gripped Riptide, which somehow still appeared forever faithful in his pocket.

Then he stepped through the portal.

~~xx-00-xx~~

Sally stood waiting in front of the gates of Elysium. She checked the watch still on her wrist and found that Percy was ten minutes late.

 _What could've held him up?_ she wondered.

Finally, a flash of red light burned her eyes, and a piece of paper fluttered down into her palm.

Her heart contracted in fear as she unfolded the paper and began to read.

 _I was dead..._ _But then I was offered a chance to live again, to have a better life than any I have ever lived..._ _And I took the chance..._ _Please, forget about me and spend your eternal afterlife in peace..._

 _...Love, your son, Percy_

Sally stared at the note, completely dumbfounded. Tears began to pool in her eyes, and yet she still stared at the note in absolute shock.

Then she collapsed, rocking back in forth in front of the gates and hugging Percy's final note, sobbing. Tears dripped down her face and disappeared into mist as they hit the dirt. She plastered the paper to her chest and howled in a dog-like way, her pain and grief echoed in every scream.

~~xx-00-xx~~

Annabeth bit her lip to keep from screaming as the security ghouls chained her arms to two Stygian iron posts and locked the cuffs.

The burning pain searing her entire body besides her head was killing her, and yet she couldn't die.

Every five hours, a damon would come with a leather, Stygian-iron-spiked whip and pull her out of the water, beating her until her back was just shredded pieces of skin and a mass of blood. Then it would plunk her right back in the water and let her feel the agonizing pain as the Phlegethon slowly healed her wounds.

She was just feeling the last cut close when she heard it.

The heartbroken, gut-wrenching scream of pain and grief. It seemed to echo all around the Underworld, and throughout the entire place, everyone looked up in confusion.

Only Annabeth Chase knew who was causing the noise.

And for the first time since dying, she smiled.

~~xx-00-xx~~

Percy tumbled out of the portal and into a room.

"About time," a voice came from the dark, and Chaos materialized from the shadows. He had changed how he looked, though. He was now a middle-aged Caucasian man, with blonde hair that fell loosely around his ears, his trademark galaxy eyes, and a lanky, strong build.

He was dressed in a black button up shirt and black jeans, with black boots laced up to his mid-calf. A casual black zip-up hoodie was thrown over the whole ensemble, and two crossed Chaotic swords were strapped onto his back.

Chaos clapped his hands, and torches all over the room burst into flame.

The room was moderately sized and circular. Seven seats made of dark obsidian and piled with cushions ringed a larger seat of the same design were pushed against the back of the room, perpendicular to the doorway, which was crossed over with a series of locks. The walls were painted with pictures of the cosmos, and the torches were the floating stars.

Columns of simple obsidian ringed the room, forming the rounded part of the Greek omega.

Six of the eight seats mentioned were filled, the middle seat and the larger throne probably designated for Chaos left empty.

Three boys and three girls lounged on the seats, chatting easily while including everyone in the conversation.

They all looked up when the torches lit and Chaos spoke.

"Keepers, meet your new Keeper," Chaos announced.

He then went and sat and his throne, motioning for the six Keepers to initiate introductions.

The first girl stepped forward. She had wavy blonde locks and bright, startling violet eyes. Her skin was the same as Chaos's, not quite tanned. A friendly smile adorned her lips, and she was about 5'6. She wore a simple black hoodie and navy skinny jeans, the same boots as Chaos's on her feet. She held out her hand for Percy to shake without a moment's hesitation.

"My name is Alexis Etrusidia. I am sixteen years old, have been in Chaos's army as a Keeper for 1,231 years, and am from the planet Kystoderm. I am the Seventh Keeper, my special power is flight, and I watch over the Aviatore group."

Percy grinned and shook her hand. "I am to be introduced at the end," he teased, and Alexis gave him the puppy-dog eyes. "Sorry!"

Alexis stuck out her tongue and strode back to her seat.

A boy came up next. He had brown hair that fell over his bright green eyes, and pale skin. He had a conversational grin playing with his lips, and his eyes shone with friendly vibes. He towered at 6'2, and wore the same outfit as Chaos, except with brand-new Nikes.

"My name is Kiani Johnson. I am seventeen and a son of Nike. I have served as a Keeper for 987 years, and am also from Earth. I am the Sixth Keeper, my special power is invisibility, and I lead the Visibili group."

He grinned and disappeared, reappearing seconds later on his seat.

Another boy came up. His auburn hair tickled his shoulders, and his blue eyes seemed to calculate everything about Percy, from his stance to his hair. He had a wry grin dangling from his lips, tanned skin, was about 5'10, and wore a T-shirt, Under Armour shorts, and basketball shoes.

"I'm Aaron Likilian. I'm nineteen, a Keeper for 1,787 years, from the planet Iliumien, and the Fifth Keeper. My special power is teleportation, and I lead the Sveligo group."

He shook Percy's hand and walked back to his seat.

A girl came up this time, a smile on her face. She had long black hair streaked with purple highlights that fell to her waist, hazel eyes that seemed to lull Percy into a dreamy state, and exotic Asian-like features. She was the same height as Percy. She wore a simple purple T-shirt with the words _maybe I have made some mistakes_ in Greek on the front, and leggings with combat boots. A black jacket was pulled over the ensemble.

"Hi! My name is Keira Gracestein. I'm fifteen, a Keeper for 856 years, from the plant Terraria, and am the Fourth Keeper. My special ability is hypnosis, and I lead the Ipnotizzare group."

 _That's why her eyes are so mesmerizing,_ thought Percy.

Keira smiled and turned her eyes on Percy, who stared into them like they were the only lights in the world. He walked over to her, picked her up, and settled her on her seat.

Then she snapped her fingers under his nose, and he blinked. "Huh?"

The other six Keepers began to laugh.

"She hypnotized you," explained Kiani, holding his sides. "You bent to her will."

Percy shot a fake glare at Keira, who smiled prettily back at him.

A boy came up next. He had sharp blue-grey eyes and shockingly white hair streaked with silver. He had sharp, angular features and a cheerful smile on his face. He wore dark blue jeans, a gray jacket, patterned Converse, and headphones looped around his neck, the earpieces settling on his collarbone.

"I'm Callum Rhesterheart. I'm eighteen, a Keeper for 3,998 years, from the planet Roylia, and am the Third Keeper. My special abilities are telekinesis and certain types charmspeaking, and I lead the Telecinesi group."

Callum stared at Percy, and slowly, Percy began to float.

"Let me down!" Percy called.

Callum set Percy down calmly and walked back to his seat.

The last girl came up. She had curly blonde locks and luminescent yellow-orange eyes, and held herself like a princess. She tried to downplay her beauty by wearing no makeup, a black jacket, ripped jeans, a black T-shirt, and boots laced up to her mid-calf, like Chaos's.

"I'm Emmaline Lionheart, from the planet Carino. I am fourteen, a Keeper for 678 years, and am the Second Keeper. My special ability is controlling the four elements, and I lead the Leggiadro group."

She quickly darted back to her seat.

"Well," Chaos said. "Why don't you introduce yourself?"

Percy gulped and cleared his throat. "My name is Percy Jackson."

Alexis made a choking sound. " _The_ Percy Jackson?"

Percy winced and nodded. "I'm a son of Poseidon and from planet Earth."

Emmaline tugged at a lock of blonde hair. "Why'd you leave?"

"Because I had nothing left," Percy turned his gaze on the Second Keeper, who was shocked to find the amount of hollowness in his eyes.

"Now, let us explain the concept of planets to Percy here," Chaos suggested, evidently trying to get the topic of the demigod. "Emmaline, don't pester him."

"When I first created the universe, I made many little galaxies, but I also took a liking to this one. The Milky Way. So I decided to build a home planet here, or as you know, it is called Scompligio, Italian for Chaos."

"I created another seven planets after Scompligio. Earth. Carino. Kystoderm. Roylia. Terraria. Iliumien. And my brother Order's home planet. Assetto. Then the planets in your solar system. All the ones I just named, with the exception of Earth, are floating out somewhere in the galaxy. Scompligio is quite the distance from Earth."

"You see, each of my Keepers are from one of the planets named, except for Assetto. Emmaline from Carino, Callum from Roylia. And so on."

"Most of these planets are very peaceful, with the exception of Assetto and occasionally Iliumien."

Chaos clapped his hands. "Now. Percy Jackson, do you accept the position of the First Keeper and my right hand commander?"

"I do."

"Do you swear by the most ancient laws to serve me faithfully and well?"

"Yes."

Somewhere on Scompligio, thunder boomed.

"It's done," said Chaos. "Welcome to my army, Percy Jackson. Now, Alexis, can you please show him to his room?"

 **Well that's a wrap!**

 **See ya next time!**

 **-A Panda Named Panda**


	4. Sowwe

**Hey guys. Sorry to say, but I'm discontinuing this story. I just realized writing two Chaos stories really saps the ideas and joy of writing a fanfiction. Once you've written one, you find no satisfaction of writing one that's basically the same thing.**

 **So sorry if you really liked the story. So, so, so sorry.**

 **See you guys next time.**

 **I'll be starting a new story called _Forge of Memories,_ so please check it out.**

 **PM me for any questions.**


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